Tony Blair calls for Net Zero ‘reset’ in break with Miliband April 30, 2025 Sir Tony Blair has called for a reset of “irrational” Net Zero plans, with an extended critique of the current state of the climate debate that has been seen as a direct rebuke to the energy secretary Ed Miliband. Blair, the last Labour leader to win an election before Sir Keir Starmer, cautioned in a [...]
Trump’s first 100 days: From stock market carnage to electing Carney April 29, 2025 Tuesday marks President Trump’s second first 100 days. On 29 April 2017, pundits looked back at the opening of the then 45th President’s term as a period that had shaken presidential norms and perhaps lowered the tone. In comparison, these first three months have been an earthquake. Trump has shown himself willing to execute the [...]
Treasury to scrap valuation quango amid efficiency drive April 28, 2025 The Valuation Office Agency will be folded into HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the tax minister has said, in the latest sign of the government’s efforts to trim away fat from the operations of the state. The arms length body responsible for valuing properties to determine tax rates, which spans £60bn worth of valuation each [...]
New data reveals VAT on school fees could hike costs by £75,000 April 28, 2025 The government’s policy of VAT on school fees would introduce a price hike in excess of £75,000 for families sending children to independent schools, according to new analysis by wealth manager Rathbones. According to the data, the average cost of sending a child to an independent day school for the duration of their time at [...]
As FTSE 100 pharma firms wait for a tariffs decision, what would drugs levies mean for consumers? April 22, 2025 For FTSE 100 businesses navigating the shifting sands of Trump’s trade war, the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs has been almost as painful as the stock market shocks. The pharmaceutical industry has been left in a particularly agonising limbo: free, for now, from the 10 per cent baseline import tax, but the US President keeps making [...]
A game of chlorinated chicken: What is the price of a US-UK trade deal? April 17, 2025 An economic deal between the UK and the US could be just weeks away. The Trump administration has made sweeping promises of a “90 deals in 90 days” package of bespoke arrangements. While deals with India, Japan and South Korea are expected to be done first, the UK is understood to be not far behind [...]
Government scrambles to swerve Trump pharma tariffs April 16, 2025 A race against time is underway to shield the UK pharmaceutical sector from potentially swinging Trump tariffs on imported drugs. As it stands, there is an exemption for pharmaceuticals on the baseline 10 per cent tariffs for goods coming into the US. However, President Trump has warned that there will be tariffs on imported pharma [...]
Philip Green loses legal challenge over parliamentary privilege for court injunctions April 8, 2025 A legal challenge lodged by Sir Philip Green to curb parliamentary privilege to name individuals shielded by court injunctions has been rejected by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Eight ECHR justices ruled on Tuesday that Article 8 – “Right to respect for private and family life” – had not been breached. The Strasbourg [...]
JP Morgan chief issues recession and stagflation warning over Trump tariffs April 7, 2025 JP Morgan chairman and chief executive Jamie Dimon has warned that severe curbs on trade imposed by President Donald Trump could lead the US economy towards recession and stagflation. Dimon made the comments ahead of the multinational investment bank’s financial results, reporting revenue of $180.6bn and net income of $58.5bn in 2024. He credited the [...]
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman warns of ‘economic nuclear winter’ from Trump tariffs April 7, 2025 Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has issued a stark warning to the US President, urging him to pause the sweeping package of tariffs revealed last week on his so-called ‘Liberation Day’. In a post on X, Ackman declared: “The President has an opportunity on Monday to call a time out and have the time to [...]
